Romania got used F-16 fighters

The contract worth €388 million was signed by representatives of the Romanian Ministry of Defense with partners of the Norwegian government at the headquarters of Romtechnica.

According to the agreement, the contract is for three years, and the first aircraft is expected to arrive in Romania at the end of 2023. The Romanian authorities plan to use F16s for at least ten years.

In the declaration, it was emphasized that the agreement was concluded between two NATO member states, the purpose of which is to strengthen the defense capacity of Romania and to increase Romania’s contribution to the common defense.

So far, Romania has purchased 17 second-hand F-16 Fighting Falcons from Portugal, equipped with new engines, electronics and modern weapons, and they entered service in 2019. Bucharest needs at least three squadrons of 16 multirole fighters each to protect its airspace.

In addition to the F16, Romania also uses Russian-made MiG-21 combat aircraft that have been refurbished with Israeli assistance, but are outdated. After the MiG-21 Lancer crash in March, the Romanian Ministry of Defense stopped using the MiG-21 for a few weeks, but since May has returned again, because without them the Romanian Air Force does not have enough aircraft to patrol.

Also in the evening, news arrived that Bulgaria had made a decision to purchase eight more US F-16 fighter jets in connection with the Russian operation in Ukraine. On Friday, the Parliament of Sofia allowed the Bulgarian government by a large majority to conclude contracts for the purchase of combat machines.

Bulgaria has already purchased eight F-16s in 2019, and deliveries with some delay are expected in 2025. With the additional eight aircraft, the squadron will be complete. The new aircraft will replace the old Soviet MiG-29s. Currently, NATO partners are helping to control Bulgarian airspace.

The cover photo is an illustration. Photo: Getty Images